Aerosol paint valve and nozzle



y 19-54 E. ROGERS ET AL 78,846

AEROSOL PAINT VALVE AND NOZZLE Filed April 26, 1950 INVENTORS EDMUND ROGERS AND HAROLD D. NORTH JR.

Patented May 18, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .-2,678,846 AEROSOL "PA-INT VALVE AND NOZZLE Application April 26, 1950, Serial No. 158,216

.1 Claim- 1 This invention relates to the valve construction for use with aerosol paint spraying containers and is of the general nature of the valve andnozzle arrangements shown in our prior application, Ser. No. 126,484, filed November '10, 1949, and the application of Edmund Rogers, Ser. No. 125,917, filed November '7, 1949.

The present invention applies particularly to the needle valve type which is opened and closed by a partial turn for ordinary use, the threaded stem of the needle valve being turned by a small handle or knob.

By reason of the construction which is ,de-

signed to meet the requirements of cheapness and simplicity of manufacture, it sometimes *happens the valve is inadvertentlyopened and unscrewed too far, with the result that the internal pressure forces the valve stem out of the body. discharging the contents of the can with possible damage to surrounding surfaces and objects.

An object of the present invention is to so construct such a valve as to provide a simple and effective means, normally preventing inadvertent unscrewing and removal of the valve stem, while permitting it to open and close in the normal fashion.

A preferred construction by which this object may be accomplished with a minimum of expense is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the lower portion of an aerosol can inverted for spraying, and showing the valve and nozzle;

Fig. 2 is a vertical axial section somewhat enlarged through the valve and nozzle and can cover;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the valve in its open position illustrating the locking engagement preventing removal;

Fig. 4 is a still further enlarged view of the valve body and valve, showing a device for causing whirling within the nozzle;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on a indicated by the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail showing a modification of the construction of Fig. 4, in which a split ring is used for a locking member, and

Fig. 7 is a view showing such a ring.

The usual type of aerosol can having a reduced upper portion (here shown inverted) is designated I. A cap member therefor 2 carries the valve body It] with its nozzle l2 and valve operating knob or disk l5. The cap 2 is shown as having a flanged portion 3 within whichthe cap extends downwardly and then upwardly 2 forming a dome .4 having a central openingreceiving the tubular extension 5 (Fig. 4) which maybe spread outwardly to engage beneath the cap as at 5a holding the valve body firmly in position thereon.

The valve body, of course, may be secured to the cap in any suitable fashion. However, the advantage of a flat flange within a dome avoids interfering with flow, and provides smooth surfaces leading to the inner bore [6 of the valve body, and which leads to an orifice I! in a valve seat which is preferably in the nature of a wall between the lower bore I6 and the upper bore formed on the valve stem 20 which is preferably of a diameter slightly larger than the bore I8,

the upper portion of which is smooth and is engaged by packing 22 held by a gland nut or threaded cap 23 secured by external threads 24 to the valve body Ill. The needle valve stem, as shown in Figs. 2 to 5, has a reduced portion 26 carrying the cone-shaped needle valve head 25 and forming a shoulder 27 at the upper side thereof.

A transverse bore in the valve body receives a reduced portion 28, of a nozzle [2, which is tightly fitted in position and which is provided with an inward extension 32, so projecting into the bore as to stand in the path of the shoulder 2''. The outer enlarged portion 30 forms a stop engaging the valve body, and positions this tubular projection 32 so that it will engage the shoulder 21 as shown in Fig. 3 when the valve stem is opened beyond its usual requirement and thus prevent its removal from the valve body. Likewise, the inner end of the nozzle is spaced from the portion 26 of the valve stem allowing free flow into the nozzle.

In assembling this structure, the valve stem with its packing gland is placed in position, after which the tightly fitting reduced portion 28 of the nozzle member 30 is forced into position.

The nozzle is, as indicated, similar to that described in the Rogers application above mentioned, and we may use a means for causing a whirling spray, if desired, such as twisted wires indicated at 35 fitted into the nozzle and held by the conical inner surface of the end wall, which is provided with the small exit or spray orifice 36, as shown.

A modified form of the locking arrangement may be used which avoids the possible weakness resulting from unduly reducing the normally very small diameter of the valve stem above the needle valve head member in order to form the shoulder 21. It should be noted that this reduction is such as to provide the shoulder engagement while its diameter and the distance of the projection 32 are such as to assure freedom of fiow into and through the nozzle. The maximum diameter of the conical head provides a clearance between it and the bore l8.

The diameter of the reduced portion 26 may in practice be substantially less than one-sixteenth of an inch, which, however, is sufiicient for most purposes, particularly where the diameter of the handle member is not large. However, when it is desired to use a relatively large disklike knob as at 15 this slender portion 26 may not be strong enough.

In the form shown in Fig. 6, however, the valve 1 stem portion '40 is reduced only slightly below the diameter of the threads 39, and the conical valve 45 is formed at the lower end, above which may be provided a groove to receive a split ring 50 which may be sprung into the groove. When in position, the outside diameter of the ring 59 projects sufiiciently to engage the tubular projection 42 at the inner end of the nozzle member, which tubular projection, in this case, is somewhat shorter than in the form shown in Fig. 4.

As before, the valve may be assembled with the split ring 50 on the stem and the nozzle may be forced into position looking it against inadvertent removal as the last step in assembly.

In both these forms it should be noted that the conical valve head projects through or substantially through the orifice I! in the valve seat wall effectin a self-cleaning, which feature was desecribed and claimed in our aforementioned application.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

A valve device for an aerosol container comprising a hollow valve body having an axial bore with a restricted orifice forming a valve seat and having a discharge bore extending laterally from the axial bore, a valve stem having a conical head at the inner end adapted to project into and close said restricted orifice, said stem being threaded into the valve body and having a handle at the outer end for turning the same, a tubular discharge spray nozzle member having a reduced portion tightly fitted into said lateral bore and having its inner end extending into the axial bore to a point adjacent the valve stem and said nozzle having an annular shoulder engaging outer face of the valve body to so position the nozzle, and the valve stem having an annular shoulder adapted to engage the projecting inner end of the tubular nozzle member to prevent inadvertent removal of the valve stem, the tubular discharge nozzle member having a still further reduced diameter at its inner end within the axial bore of the valve body to facilitate flow of liquid around the stem and into the discharge nozzle.

References Cited in the file of this patent -UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 959,698 Belknap May 31, 1910 993,093 Mueller May 23, 1911 1,941,898 Iddings Jan. 2, 1934 2,180,084 Gebauer Nov. 14, 1939 2,375,215 Davis May 8, 1945 

